An electrosurgical generator (20) for supplying electrosurgical energy to tissue includes sensor circuitry (22,23) configured to measure a voltage phase and a current phase through tissue and a processing device (25) configured to compare the measured voltage and current phase to generate a real power component. The electrosurgical generator (20) also includes a controller (24) configured to regulate output of the electrosurgical generator (20) based on the real power component and/or a predetermined imaginary impedance of tissue.